When I seen the original e-announcement from the Audism Free America via blog posting last month ago (February 2009). My first reaction - "Will this kind of rally being truly effective or make any real impact in the heart of Georgetown residential area?" "Will the mainstream media come down to cover the real peaceful deaf rally outside the Volta Bureau, home office of the AGBell?"
Time comes, I begun to see the full picture of what the AFA people tried to accomplish on the issue and awareness of existing audism within the Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf's past actions.
Yes, the Volta Bureau is in the very heart of Georgetown residential area zigzag across from the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School (Christian school) where many VIPs (Very Important People like the U.S. Congress and major corporations) often send their own children to this private school.
The Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School will have its own musical play on that Friday and Saturday night - pretty busy for quiet Georgetown Friday night!
Georgetown University is five to ten blocks away from the Volta Bureau (AGBell home office).
The very public area is the M Street down from the Volta Bureau, then the Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest on the east side three blocks away.
Many historical significant homes like President John F. Kennedy's Georgetown home few blocks away from the Volta Bureau. Two Alexander Graham Bell houses are in the Yellow Business District area between Dupont Circle and Farragut North.
Back to the questions of whether the AFA rally will be truly effective or not.
From my observations of what the AFA people have been doing lately - pretty effective and practical and determined and passionate.
That is very real historic and lifetime event for many of us, deaf people! We finally get ourselves coming together to conduct the peaceful rally (demonstration) and vigil facing the Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf's Volta Bureau. It never have been done before!
What about the mainstream media coverage??? I am fully sure that there will be the presence of mainstream media covering the AFA rally. Why??? This rally is in DC at that time! Much easier for the mainstream media outlets coming to the Georgetown area since many television stations are located in the Upper Northwest area - north of Wisconsin Avenue. The Washington Post news reporting offices are on the 15th Street, NW.
The Georgetown community in DC is very small and tight-knit which will inflames gossips among its residents of what is going on with the AGBell's stealthy tasks with deaf people. The AGBell do recognize the possible severity of the impact from the AFA rally.
I am giving the AFA people and rally the benefit of doubt. It is sure enough as time progress as the sense of worthy cause deserves our full support, presence (bodies) and financial donations.
Not only the major event in Deaf Washington (DC). There are worthy deaf events like the memorial service for Dr. Mike Kemp and his legacy to the study of various deaf regional languages around the world, the Chapter Day Awards in honor of Dr. Paddy, an author of "DeafHood - Search for Identity", the Audism Free America rally before the AGBell and Deaf Professional Happy Hour (pure social time!) that weekend.
At least, the AGBell will have a meeting with the AFA people is the first step to productive and fruitful collaboration for the long-term strategy concerned deaf babies and youngsters for the real needs of language and intellectual development. That is pretty effective of the AFA rally so far. Or our eyes pulled with wool by the AGBell. Who knows?
The whole world is watching this AFA rally. Every of you, too.
ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog
